With the searing heat across much of Texas this summer, many have asked: what exactly constitutes a heat wave? Heat waves are designated as prolonged periods of abnormally hot weather. Heat waves have profound impacts on human beings, especially in respect to the increased occurrence of respiratory and circulatory ailments and mortality rates. In the city of Houston this year, for example, both June and July maximum temperatures have been five to six degrees above normal. The average maximum temperature was 95.1 degrees in June (1998) and the average maximum temperature was 98.5 degrees in July (1998). This is almost six degrees above normal.

Since June 1, there have been 16 days with temperatures 100 degrees or higher. Compare that to the heat wave in 1980 when there were 25 days with temperatures 100 degrees or higher. In August 1980, there were five days with 100 degrees and higher - and one of these days hit 107 degrees. So in Houston back in the summer of 1980, there were 30 days of 100 degrees or higher temperature.

Incidentally, heat waves are not caused by Global Warming as many may think. Most meteorologists do not accept current global warming theories. They believe there is not adequate temperature data to support the "proof" of global warming. The following examples of past hot July months in Houston demonstrate this. The average temperature of the day is the average of the maximum temperature and minimum temperature for the day. The average temperature indicates how hot the entire 24 hour period is - and not just how hot it is in the afternoon. Houstonians of the late 1800's had to bear the heat without air conditioning. In 1884, the average temperature was 86.6 degrees, in 1888 it was 87.6 degrees and 86.5 degrees in 1892. The normal average temperature for Houston is 83.3 degrees. Our average for July is 86.6 degrees. In 1980 the average was 87.5 degrees. So the fact remains: if you live in Houston, you will have to deal with heat waves. They are a part of our history.

Following is a breakdown of some of this year's hot temperatures:

June 14 - 102 º June 21 - 100 º

July 06 - 100 º July 09 - 100 º July 10 - 101 º July 11 - 102 º

July 12 - 103 º July 14 - 102 º July 16 - 100 º July 17 - 101 º

July 26 - 100 º July 27 - 100 º July 28 - 100 º July 29 - 100 º

July 30 - 100 º July 31 - 103 º

The summer with most 100 degree or higher days was 1980 with 30 days, followed by 1962 with 14 days and 1993 with 13 days. We will have to wait and see if August continues to be hot and if the 1980 record will be broken.

Other hot Houston summers include the following (the use of the word "hot" in this case is the number of days in which the temperature was 96 degrees or higher): there have been 14 other years since 1948 which had over 29 days of maximum temperatures 96 degrees are higher. The record was set in 1980 which had 78 days followed by 1993 with 49 days. So far this year we have had 44 days. See Table on Page 4.

Heat waves are nothing new and have plagued the United States for centuries. On July 9, 1860, the temperature reached 115 degrees in Lawrence, Kansas. Today we deal with heat waves with air conditioning. Imagine how our ancestors must have felt when the temperatures soared into the 100's! Other memorable heat waves of the past:

1891 - July 25, peak of a horrible heat wave in Los Angeles, California, temperatures hit 109 degrees

1901 - Warmest July month since 1867 at Lawrence, Kansas. Temperatures reached 100 degrees 21 of 31 days in July. Peak reading was 108 degrees on July 24. Temperature also reached 112 degrees in Phillipsburg, Kansas.

1911 - New England severe heat wave - 105 degrees in Vermont.

1913 - July 10 Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, California, reported 134 degrees.

1930 - July 20, Washington D.C. reached 106 degrees.

1934 - July Heat wave across the Great Plains.

1936 - Temperature hit 121 degrees in North Dakota - July 6

1936 - July, New York Central Park Observatory hit 106 degrees

1936 - July 10, temperature hit 112 degrees in West Virginia; 111 degrees in Pennsylvania.

1936 - July 14, hottest afternoon in Iowa; 113 stations had an average maximum of 108.7 degrees

1936 - Kansas City, Missouri hit 100 degrees or higher for 53 days

1937 - Yuma, Arizona, recorded 101 - 100 degree days.

1941 - Heat wave in the state of Washington.

1950 - September 1, 123 degrees at Yuma.

1955 - July and August in the Northeast; highs were on average four degrees above normal.

1955 - September 1, temperature hit 110 degrees in Los Angeles.

1955 - 14 days with 110 degrees or higher in Yuma.

1959 - June, July, August and September, an average of 7.5 degrees above normal in Los Angeles.

1959 - July 10 118 degrees at Yuma; Cow Creek, California reached 125 degrees.

1960 - Second hottest month of July in Yuma (1959 first).

1965 - July 30 Portland, Oregon hit 107 degrees.

1966 - July St. Louis, Missouri, heat wave grips city.

1980 - In Dallas, Texas, 42 days hit 100 degrees or higher from June 23 to August 3.

A tropical wave which moved off the west coast of Africa on July 26 eventually evolved into this season's first tropical storm - Alex. The storm formed south of the Cape Verde Islands on July 28 and continued to track toward the west. At first, conditions were favorable for continued development and Alex was actually forecasted to reach hurricane strength.

But that scenario soon fell apart as the storm came under the influence of strong upper level winds and shearing. The thunderstorms that needed to maintain organization and intensity were soon ripped apart from the circulation center. Alex maintained a westerly course across the Tropical Atlantic Ocean under the influence of a large high pressure ridge, which is typically anchored across the North Atlantic Ocean during the summer. Alex lost tropical storm strength on August 3.

While many Texas students on summer break have complained about the heat, others actually beat the heat during June and July by attending Weather Research Center's Weather Camp. Over 100 students participated in this year's camp which featured the how's and why's of the weather, as well as emphasizing weather safety. The various sessions included titles such as Weather Works, Tornado Alley, Hurricane Central and Cyclone World.

This year's Weather Camp moved along smoothly with the help of several volunteers and interns. These included Jairus Bazunu, a student at Fort Bend Baptist Academy (Sugar Land, Texas) who volunteered for his first year of service with Weather Research Center. Megan Murphee, Jackie Hasling and Anna Magwood all returned to volunteer before heading off to their first year college. The three will attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, University of Puget Sound near Seattle, Washington and Carlton University in Ottawa, Canada, respectively. Roberto Gasperini also provided a helping hand in addition to his other intern duties.

Weather Camp is one of the many educational programs conducted by the Weather Research Center. Companies or businesses looking for opportunities to underwrite any of the educational programs are encouraged to contact the Center. For more information, please call Weather Research Center at (713) 529-3076, or browse our website at http://www.wxresearch.com.

This year has been great for donations, both in cash and gifts-in-kind, for the Center and The Weather Museum. There have been numerous tours of the facility and Weather Camp '98 was an overwhelming success. This will allow the Center to continue its work on The Weather Museum. If your company makes matching gifts you might want to consider becoming a member of The Weather Museum. It is a great way to double your donation and make a commitment to educating the public about the weather and weather safety.

Temperatures reached 102 degrees at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport on Tuesday, July 14 before dropping to below 75 degrees in less than 30 minutes as strong thunderstorms pushed through the area. Total rainfall amount for the day was 1.32 inches. Further to the south, Hobby Airport only reported 0.17 inches.

What happened to cause such an interesting weather day? A squall line developed to the north of Houston along a line from College Station to Lake Charles, Louisiana. As the line of thunderstorms moved southward, they dumped heavy rains in isolated areas across northwestern Houston and produced strong wind gusts up to 50-60 MPH in other areas. Downed trees and power lines were reported along with minor street flooding.

July 14 wasn't the only day Houstonians were surprised by the weather. A few days later on July 17, downburst winds and heavy rains again plagued the city. At the Compaq Center (formerly known as the Summit near Greenway Plaza), families attending the Ringling Brother's - Barnum and Bailey's Circus were rushed to safer areas as a downburst pushed in the roof and heavy rains began to pour through. Numerous billboards were also knocked down in the area as a the result of these strong thunderstorm winds.

Houston's 1998 temperature and rainfall readings are reaching the record numbers set in 1980. If you compare the months of May, June and July, 1931 was the driest year in Houston with only 4.37 inches of rain falling in that time period. This year we have had 4.42 inches of rain during the same three month period. In 1932, 4.58 inches of rain fell for that tri-monthly period. Since 1884, there have been 22 years drier than July 1998. In addition, there have been 39 June months drier than June of 1998 which had 2.73 inches of rain.

Temp Dew Point Temp (F)

Monday , April 19, 1999, has been set for the Weather Research Center's fourth annual golf tournament benefiting The Weather Museum. The fund raising event will be held once again at the Hearthstone Country Club in northwest Houston. Now is the time to get your company involved in helping the Museum. Tournament coordinators are looking for large corporate sponsors to help defray the cost so that more funds can be raised for the tournament. If you or your company would like to participate, contact Steve Randle at (713) 529-3076.